


Chocolates and Legacies

by hi_im_evans



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Canon Compliant, Friends to Lovers, Marauders, Original Character(s), The Golden Trio Era (Harry Potter), The Marauder's Map
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-12
Updated: 2021-03-18
Packaged: 2021-03-19 03:08:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,241
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29992956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hi_im_evans/pseuds/hi_im_evans
Summary: This is basically my OC, Anna's story at Hogwarts starting in 1993 in her fourth year. It's a slow burn between her and George, but that isn't the only part of the story. The Marauders end up playing a huge role. It is mostly canon compliant, but there will be some things that don't line up perfectly since there is an OC. I will update the summary as I write the story!
Relationships: George Weasley/Original Female Character(s), Katie Bell/Lee Jordan
Kudos: 2





	1. A Prank And A Map

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just after Fred and George pull their big start of term prank, Anna confronts Fred about how he was able to pull it off.

Chapter One - A Prank And A Map

September 1993

I careened into the corridor, shouting, as realization dawned on me.

“Wait! Get back here.”

He didn’t turn but he paused and I caught up to him in seconds.

“I know you have it,” I said. Catching my breath. I reached up to grab his shoulder and spun him around. “There’s no way you could’ve pulled that prank off if you didn’t.”

He smirked. “I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Merlin!” I said rolling my eyes. “Do you think I’m that dense, George?”

“Annabeth Evans Taylor? Dense? No.” He adapted an air of fake seriousness. “A bit mad, perhaps.”

“Get in here.” I grabbed a handful of his robes and pulled him into an empty classroom.

“Evans,” he chuckled, “what have you got in your head this time?”

“Okay, first of all,” I started, not letting go of him, “I’ve told you not to call me that. Until now, I had no idea how you even figured out my middle name.”

“Until now?”

“You have it, don’t you?”

“Have what?” George tried to feign confusion but I knew him too well by now. I knew when he was trying to get away with something.

“Oh, come on, Weasley!” I finally let go of his robes, letting my arms fall to my sides in exasperation. “I know you have the map.”

His face was a mixture of surprise and confusion, but that little sparkle of mischief was creeping into the corners of his eyes.

“What m-?” He started, but the look on my face must’ve been aggressive enough. He crossed his arms, his tongue flicking to the corner of his teeth like they always did when he was trying to sort something out. “How do you know about the map?”

“Oh please,” I said. “It’s barely history yet. People still tell stories about ‘messers Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs’ don’t they? You’re hardly the first pranksters this school has seen.”

“Oh!” George clutched his heart in mock agony. “You’ve wounded me!”

“So how’d you get it?” I pressed on. “When did you get it?”

“Alright, you nosey wit-beyond-measure...” he relaxed, resigned to the fact I knew more than he hoped I did. “First year. Knicked it from Filch.”

My eyes widened and my hand flew to my mouth. “No way...” My voice was quiet. I was speaking more to myself than George at that point.

“What? Not the first time is it? We’ve knicked stuff from his office loads of times! You think I can afford all those dung bombs we set off to cause distractions for our real pranks? Course not! We have to pinch a few here and th-“

“No!” I cut him off. “You’re the first ones.”

“Huh?”

“When Filch confiscated it from them, they decided to leave it behind. It was their legacy. He thought that whoever managed to work out how to use it was worthy of it.”

George was silent for a moment. “Well as pleased as I am to know I’m the heir of troublemaking at Hogwarts, how do you know this? Who is ‘he’?”

“Oh I can’t tell you that,” I said matter-of-factly. “Can I just see it? Please.”

I held his eyes which seemed to switch colors faster than I could keep track of. His hand dropped to his bag hanging off his shoulder.

“I- Well- Fred would-“

“I don’t bloody care!” I said, fully aware of the fact that I was begging but still refusing to break eye contact.

“Okay, fine.” He undid the buckles on his bag, finally breaking away from my gaze. “But you tell no one. Right?”

“Of course.” I nodded quickly.

George smoothed the ratty piece of old parchment across the front desk. I stared at it, not quite believing this was the map I had read about in letters and journals and heard about through wildly varied rumors. (According to one particularly outlandish one, it would burst into flames if you spoke the wrong incantation.) He pulled his wand out from the pocket of his robes and cleared his throat slightly. I reached out and put my hand on his, forcing him to lower his wand.

“Could I do it?” I asked.

“Oh, sure.” He withdrew his hand slowly with an inquisitive look in his eye. “You just have to say, ‘I s-,’”

“I know what to say.”

George actually took a step back. I could feel his eyes on my face and on the map. I could feel him wondering why this meant so much to me. That was a question that would have to be answered much later. I wasn’t anywhere near ready for him to know.

I took a deep breath. Then without letting it out, I spoke very quickly. Like ripping off a bandage. If something was going to go terribly wrong it would go wrong terribly quickly.

“I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.”


	2. A Friend And A Beginning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anna and Katie chat about what's going on and what their fourth year will look like.

_ September 1993 _

It had been two weeks since the day I confronted George about the map. He was caught between treating me like nothing at all was different and like I was a mysterious creature from another planet. 

A lot of things suddenly made sense too, like the way George was always able to find me when he needed something. Although, that wasn’t too difficult. I was usually in the Ravenclaw library or somewhere near the quidditch pitch. If I wasn’t in one of those two paces I was usually in my hiding spot on the fifth floor. 

There was a corner that seemed to have been forgotten. Windows were placed in the walls above as if they were waiting for rooms to be built around them, but instead, the walls just soared to meet the ceiling two stories above. The windows filled the corner with a calming, soft light. I usually went there when I was feeling overwhelmed or angry or sad or I just wanted to be alone. The existence of the map therefore explained how George always knew I had had a rough day before he spent more than about a second with me. 

In retrospect, I should’ve figured out that he had the map way sooner than I did. The truth was, I didn’t want to believe it existed. If I admitted the map was real, it was confirming the genius and insanity that was the Marauders’ time at Hogwarts. It confirmed how full the lives of those people were. It confirmed how much I had lost without ever having the chance to know what I had. 

It had been really hard to avoid George over the course of those days. It wasn’t for lack of trying, though. It was just extremely hard to hide from someone who had the ability to know where you are at all times folded neatly in their pocket. If George and I hadn’t been such close friends it would be creepy and almost frightening. 

As it was, I spent a lot of time in the Ravenclaw library. I liked it better than our living space. The chairs weren’t as comfortable as the ones near the fireplaces, but there was something so peaceful about being surrounded by all those books. Books about the strangest of hyperfixation topics left behind or traded over centuries of Ravenclaws. I spent so much time there that I ended up two weeks ahead on my schoolwork. Two weeks into term and I was already done with a month of work. 

I had been hiding in there so much that eventually my friends started to notice my absence. My fellow Ravenclaws were too much like me. I told them I was just way too into this project I was working on and they understood completely and let me be. Katie Bell, a Gryffindor and one of my best friends, was the complete opposite. 

I was sitting in the Ravenclaw library on a Saturday morning, reading a book on medieval architecture for absolutely no reason when I heard the door knocker ask a question. 

“ _ The more you take, the more you leave behind. What am I?” _

“Oh I don’t care! Just give me my friend!”

The handful of students sitting around the tables all looked to the door and then to each other. It wasn’t the first time something like this had happened, but it was always pretty entertaining. 

“ _ The more you take, the more you leave behind. What am I?” _

“Bloody hell, then. ANNABETH TAYLOR I KNOW YOU CAN HEAR ME! GET OUT HERE, YOU RECLUSE!”

I felt the color rise to my face as everyone turned to raise their eyebrows at me. I marked my place in my book and stood up, very conscious of everyone’s eyes following me as I crossed the library. I opened the door to see Katie on the other side dressed in muggle clothes and grinning from ear to ear. 

“There you are!”

“Katie,” I said, trying to keep from smiling. “We’ve been over this. You can’t stand outside the door and scream for me.”

“Well how else am I supposed to contact you?!” You rush in and out of classes and you’re never on the pitch while we are and I miss you.”

I sighed. “I know, I know. I’ve just been-”

“Avoiding George.” Katie said. And we’re going to talk about that. Let’s go!”

“Katie! I’m in pajamas!”

“Well go change then! You’ve got five minutes, or I’m kicking this door in. Enchanted knocker be damned.”

The look on her face was so serious that I didn’t doubt her for a second. I turned back toward the door/

“ _ The more you take, the more you leave b-” _

“Footsteps.” I threw a wink over my shoulder at Katie as I stepped through the doorway. 

“Nerd,” I heard her mumble as the door shut behind me.

I swept my books off the table as I ran across the common room then up the stairs to my dorm. I threw the door open and tossed my books onto my unmade bed and started digging through my trunk. 

“What in the hell are you doing?” Cho Chang muttered groggily from the next bed. “It’s like the crack of dawn.”

“It’s nine in the morning, Cho. You’re wasting the Saturday.” I said as I tucked the front of my jumper into my jeans. The weather was starting to turn toward autumn. “We have quidditch practice later anyway and don’t you have Charms homework you wanted to get done before then?”

Cho groaned but started to roll out of bed. I grabbed a paperback I was reading, shoved it in my back pocket, and tore back down the stairs, through the common room, and into the hallway. 

“Cutting it close, Taylor.”

“Yeah, yeah,” I waved her off. “Where are we headed?” 

“Somewhere safe,” Katie winked. 

I rolled my eyes but I was actually somewhat relieved. That was Katie’s code for, ‘we’re headed for somewhere we can get stoned.’ If she was going to try to interrogate me, I might as well get some free weed out of the deal. 

We didn’t speak much as we made our way across the grounds. Today’s hidden spot of choice was the far side of the greenhouses. No one ever went over there on Saturdays. Well, unless it was for this exact purpose, so we wouldn’t get caught there. 

We rounded the last corner and Katie flopped down onto the grass and pulled an old breath mint tin out of the pocket of her jacket. She began to roll a joint while I pulled out my book and set it in the yellowing grass beside me.

“Sheesh, Anna! Do you go anywhere without a book?”

I shrugged. “It’s just habit. I feel like I’m forgetting something if I walk around completely empty handed.”

“Fair enough.” She took the first hit before passing it gingerly to me. “So what’s going on with you?”

“Nothing,” I said automatically. “Just been busy. You know, start of a new term and all that.” 

“No you’ve been weirder than usual. All you do is read, work ahead in all your classes, and fly. I never even see you come in for meals for more than 10 minutes.” Her eyes were drilling into me and I was sure she could see the answers rolling around in my head even if she couldn’t quite decipher them. “So what’s up?”

I passed the joint back to her. “Just have had a lot on my mind. There’s a murderer on the loose, I’m taking a ton of classes, and I really want Ravenclaw to do well in the quidditch tournament this year.”

“Oh sure,” Katie said, nodding and slowly letting out a lungful of smoke. “But there’s something else. George is worried about you.”

“He said that?” I said a little too quickly. 

Katie raised her eyebrows at me as I quickly stole the joint out of her hand in an effort to cover it up. “No,” she said slowly. “I can just tell. He has asked me about you several times, wondering where you are, if you’ve said anything about what’s been going on. Did something happen between you two?”

“No,” I said. “We’re good.”

“Okay.” Katie paused. “Did something…  _ happen _ between you two?”

“What?” I felt color rise in my cheeks. “No. Merlin, no. We’re just friends. I’m not- He’s not- We’re not-” I slowed down as Katie started to laugh. I frantically turned the attention back toward her. “Rumor has it  _ you  _ and George are the thing,” I said sharply.

Katie kept her cool much better than I did. “Nah,” she shook her head, taking a drag. “George is like a brother to me. I’m more focused on Lee.”

That was news to me but I just nodded and slumped against the greenhouse wall. 

“So what has been going on with you,” Katie asked again. 

I hesitated, but the edges of the word were feeling softer and I caved a little. “Family stuff I guess,” I shrugged. “It’s kinda complicated but I feel like things are changing faster than they ever have and I feel like I’m just loosing so much.”

Katie looked at me for a moment before her gaze softened. “I can understand that. School is almost halfway over and it seems like we just started yesterday. Kind of exciting though isn’t it.”

“Yeah,” I said, watching Katie pack up her tin. “Exciting.”

“Oh, come on,” she said gently. “We have to enjoy what we have while we have it. You still going to be running that book club this year?”

I shifted, thankful for the change in subject. “Absolutely! We’ll start in October. I want to give everyone the chance to settle in.”

“Brilliant! Keep me posted,” Katie stood and offered her hand. “I had a great time last year.”

I accepted her hand and she hauled me to my feet. “Of course. Wouldn’t dream of book club without your vocal opinions.”

Katie laughed, “I am the life and soul of those meetings and you know it.”

As we walked back to the castle we chatted about classes, what we were looking forward to and what we were dreading. As usual, potions was a looming storm cloud, but Katie was looking forward to Defense Against the Dark Arts most of all. 

“Lupin, the new professor, he has such a comforting presence doesn’t he,” Katie said wistfully. “He’s so sturdy. I bet we actually learn something this year.”

“I’m sure we will,” I said, tensing at the direction the conversation was going. 

“Still, he’s kind of mysterious isn’t he?” Katie continued. “I wonder if we’ll ever find out anything more about who he is or where he’s come from.”

“Yeah,” I mumbled. “I wonder.”


	3. A Lunch and A Class

_ October 1993 _

Classes were in full swing and harder than they ever had been. OWLs weren’t until the next year, but try telling that to any of the professors. 

McGonagall had set two essays in one week. Snape only assigned one each week, but they were the longest essays I had ever had to write and required far more research than I had ever done. Hagrid was the only teacher that seemed not to be assigning horrible amounts of work. Although, the lessons themselves were enough to make anyone groan when you brought of Care of Magical Creatures. 

One Friday, Flitwick was insisting that we all master both summoning and banishing charms over the weekend because they were sure to show up on our exams. One Hufflepuff student pointed out that the exams weren’t for months but Flitwick assured them that it was far from too early to begin our preparations. 

“Do not fall into a false sense of security,” he addressed the class in his squeaky voice while somehow sounding so authoritative that many students actually sank lower in their seats. “You will not be taking your Ordinary Wizarding Levels until next year. However! The more focused you are this year, the more you retain this year, the easier your revision and exams will be next year.”

When the bell dismissed us about forty five minutes later, I shoved my books and notes into my bag, tucked my wand into my hair and headed toward the Great Hall with Cho for lunch. 

“How are we supposed to completely master two charms over the weekend on top of all of these essays?” Cho complained. “Tomorrow is supposed to be all about quidditch practice!”

I shrugged. “I have a pretty good start on the essays. You can take a look at my notes if you want to.”

“Really?” Cho’s eyes seemed to brighten a bit. “Oh, you’re the best, Anna!”

“Of course. I care about quidditch as much as you do. I want to be able to really get all the practice we can in.”

Cho nodded enthusiastically. “Oh I know you do! You’re the best chaser we’ve had! I think we really stand a chance this year.”

“I really hope so.”

As we descended the final staircase toward the great hall, there seemed to be a lot more noise than was typical for lunch time. I looked at Cho with my eyebrows raised. She shrugged in response. 

When we walked through the doors, the reason for the noise was quite obvious. George and Fred Weasley were standing on opposite ends of the Gryffindor table using what appeared to be a no-heat firework as a frisbee. Many of the students seemed to be enjoying the show. Most of the Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, and Hufflepuffs were all cheering. I could’ve sworn I even overheard a couple of Sytherin sixth years, Cassie Malfoy and Annabelle Greengrass placing bets on which twin would drop the sparking disc first. The majority of the Slytherins, however, were glaring and shaking their heads. 

Hermione Granger seemed to be the only Gryffindor not enjoying the show. She sat on the bench with her face buried in her book, her face completely red as Ron’s sleeve repeatedly got tangled in her hair. Her eyes didn’t seem to be moving across the page anymore.

I spotted Katie standing almost perfectly between the twins, pounding her fists on the table and egging them on. I looked at Cho for a moment before we burst into laughter. Hers was light and weightless. Mine was a mix of amusement and nervousness. I steered Cho toward the Ravenclaw table and chose seats in the corner. 

Okay so maybe I was avoiding George a little bit. I just couldn’t handle his questions and sympathy, not yet. I still kept an eye on him out of the corner of my eye as we moved across the great hall.

“What is going on with you?” Cho asked as we collapsed onto the bench. 

“What?” I started and looked round at her. “Oh, just a little wigged out by Flitwick.”

“Okay…”

“And starving,” I added. 

Cho grabbed a glass of pumpkin juice and raised it with a smirk on her face. “Here, here!”

I cracked a smile and grabbed a sandwich. “So what do you think Davies is going to put us through tomorrow?”

Cho shrugged through a mouthful of charred brussels sprouts. “I heard a rumor from Inglebee that we’re just gonna pay some three on three so he can watch and get an idea for what we need to work on.”

“Oh, hell yes!” I exclaimed, clapping my hands together and cracking my knuckles. “I’ve been looking for a chance to get back at Stretton for that crap he pulled last year after our last match. 

“Oh right!” Cho shuddered. “He is such an ass.”

I nodded. “But I’m a better chaser than him so…” I dramatically flipped my hair over my shoulder and winked at Cho. 

“Oh you definitely are,” Cho said. “Not even a question. Honestly, I have no idea how he managed a spot on the team this year.”

“Me neither.” 

After I finished my sandwich I flipped my bag open and looked through its contents. 

“I left my notes for herbology in our room.” I stood up and shoved a couple apples into my bag. “We’re definitely going to need them today, so I’m going to go grab them.”

“Why now?” Cho looked up at me with a crease between her eyebrows. “Class isn’t for another two hours.”

“I want to hit the main library and see if I can find a book that Lupin mentioned yesterday.”

Cho went to get up. “Oh, do you want me to come with?”

“No!” I said quickly. “I mean, you eat. I’ll catch up to you in the green houses. Need me to bring anything from the dorm?”

“No that’s okay. I’ve got everything.”

“Alright, I’ll see you later.”

“See you!” 

Always trust Cho to trust everything was fine. I loved that she never asked questions. She just let me be and didn’t freak out every time I wanted to go to the library alone. She had plenty of other friends in our house to hang out and walk to Herbology with if I wanted some time alone in the library.

After I grabbed my notes from the dormitory, I headed back downstairs toward the library, my penny loafers clicking on the stone floor. I couldn’t stand the clunky shoes we were technically supposed to wear with our uniforms and as long as they were solid black, none of the professors cared. 

As I walked into the library, Madam Pince gave me a hard glance that softened when she realised it was me. I seemed to get along with her better than most of the students in the school for some reason. 

I walked to the magical creatures section and scanned the shelves for  _ A History and Theory of Dementors _ . There was a gap in the shelf where about 7 copies usually stood. However, only one particularly battered copy remained. I grabbed it and headed to the counter to check it out. 

Madam Pince noted it in her ledger before handing the book to me. “Always a pleasure, Miss Taylor,” she said with a straight face and her usual stern voice that led me to believe she had no idea what pleasure was. 

I put the book in my bag and was about to walk away. When I hesitated. “Do you have anything new on the War in?” I asked. 

She gave me a look that was full of soft sympathy. “Nothing that you haven’t already read cover to cover three times.”

“Okay,” I tried to keep the disappointment out of my voice. “Thanks anyway. Have a good one, Madam Pince!”

I headed to my spot on the fifth floor and settled into the familiar corner. I unclasped my robes and pulled the book and one of the apples out of my bag. 

I passed the time before herbology quietly flipping through the book. It was quite pleasant considering how horrifying the book was, but I knew it was information I needed. I also knew I had checked out the book for the same reason everyone else had. With the dementors stationed at the entrances to the castle grounds, we were all scared. 

With a mass murderer on the loose and dementors breathing down our necks, it was hard to feel a moment of peace. 

From everything I had read about Sirius Black, though, none of it seemed to add up. His time at Hogwarts was very well documented, primarily through detention records, and he was always right there at James Potter’s side. He was also Harry Potter’s godfather. It just didn’t make sense. 

Then there were the transcripts from his trial. If you can call it that. It was nothing. They just put him away with no memory evaluation, no veritaserum, nothing. Something didn’t add up. 

I realized I had been staring into nothingness for a while and checked my watch. It was 2:20. I had ten minutes to get to the greenhouses and it was usually a twelve minute walk. I scrambled out of my hiding spot and barreled through the castle and out onto the grounds. 

I slid into greenhouse four at the last moment, my hair tied in notes and my unfastened robes practically falling off. I took my spot next to Cho who was laughing under her breath and fastened my robes over my grey jumper, ignoring my crooked tie. 

“Now that everyone is present,” Professor Sprout winked at me. “Let’s begin.”


End file.
